SANJI

Unsurprisingly, it was 10:35 when Sanji woke up the following morning. Morning class was already over, and so was the 10am break time. By the time Sanji would finish dressing for class, and they indeed had a casual school uniform to instill discipline, it would be well into the second class.

Sanji looked across the room to the other bed. Titan was already gone, the bed unmade. He looked back at the ceiling, white fan blades whirring. Maybe he should sleep in for the day. Unfortunately, anyone would know where to find him if one of the teachers decided to ask. So...

He got off the bed and washed up, putting on his shirt and black trousers. He would skip class and go sit at the back courtyard below the trees.

And that's just what Sanji did, he managed to avoid meeting anyone about as he passed on the outskirts of the building to sit at the courtyard with the giant poui trees. The entire savannah was simply trees spread fairly out going back for hundreds of yards. There were benches at the frontal peripheral and four encircling the central tree but none elsewhere. Sanji decided to sit near one of the larger trees without a bench, his back on the opposite end so that no one could see him.

Not a few minutes went by when there was the unusual chattering of voices coming from the outskirts of the back field, rounding the building to head into the trees. Sanji turned his head slightly to see the unwelcome guests.

It was a red head boy and girl with another student trailing shortly behind them. Sanji stared glassily. The class rep and... A boy from his class. Sanji remembered him slightly. They didn't see him yet and were chatting animatedly. The glossed up girl behind was careful to pick her footing as she followed them up the slight incline.

The girl and boy started slightly when they were a few feet away from Sanji and almost jumped. "Sanji," the girl startled, clearly surprised. Sanji made no acknowledgement but he did maintain eye contact. Was the class rep really skipping classes?

As they stared at each other, it was the girl behind who broke the silence. She finally decreased the gap from where she was trailing the others and made it up to their sides. "Sanji!" her voice was oddly excited like a little puppy. "We didn't know you were here!"

"Hi," Sanji replied. Sedata seemed more happy than the other two. She picked her seating carefully and plopped down next to Sanji still smiling, "oh my gosh... were you hanging out by yourself? You know you're weird right??" It seemed she was willing her eyes to sparkle as she sat shoulder to shoulder next to him, waiting for a response. Sanji was speechless.

"Sedata, you know you can't say things like that." The class rep scolded and offered Sanji an apologetic smile. She seemed to have recovered from the awkward shock and was looking for a spot on the grass next to Sanji. The red head sat as well.

"Sanji knows I'm only teasing him," the dainty girl deflected.

The red head rolled his eyes and leant back on his arms behind him. He was seated opposite the three. "Riggght." Nabiko wasn't really interested, he was rolling his shoulders and looking up at the sky frowning at whatever had displeased him up there. Sanji looked around at the random circle perplexed. It had happened so randomly and quickly. Sedata was still smiling and shrugging innocently as she neatened herself and Yoshi giggled briefly as she looked at Sanji. When he finally caught her eye, she glanced at her bag.

"Hello Sanji-friend," she chirped and started to pull the threads on her bag. She looked back at him, "we have a free period now in case you were wondering."

"Seems he's psychic since he already knows."

Yoshi giggled at Nabiko's joke and glanced at Sanji. He wondered why she kept doing that. One giggling his way and the other staring fixedly when she smiled. "So what class do you have after lunch Sanji?"

"... Healing," the word rolled out Sanji's mouth carefully, he was surprised that he actually remembered. Yoshis eyes widened at the mere fact that he answered her directly. She smiled at him heartened.

The year one students had normal classes such as English, Maths, Geography, History, Science for the first years of school with Science being divided per term between Physics Chemistry and Biology. They also had Migurigum Basics and two other electives among Telepathy, Cognition, Healing, Empathy, Demonology and so forth to choose per year. At year three, they chose their specific subjects then wrote a final exam at year five. The final years: upper and lower six were to specialize.

"Ooh healing... I'm not doing that this term. I have Math with Mr. Hehow next."

"Yup," Sedata piped up, "I hate maths but I love Mr. Hehow. He's the best."

"Yeah Mr. Hehow's the best teacher in the school," Yoshi agreed. Three pairs of expectant eyes turned to Sanji.

"..." Mr. Hehow was... Nice to him. But thinking of the teacher somehow made Sanji feel uneasy. Now that he was completely roped into the conversation, he felt a compulsion to reply. Looking at Nabiko, "Is... he?"

Eyes changed focus, "huh? What I dunno," Nabiko frowned at suddenly being the centre of attention. "I've only been here a year, and he's given me detention about ten times."

"That's because you're a rebel." Yoshi jibed him.

"Yeah well you like this rebel."

Yoshi scowled and pouted, "baka."

Nabiko smirked at her triumphantly. But then he shook his head growing solemn. He ran his hand through his hair which was already loose and catching the sunlight that streamed through a few parted overhead branches. "Nah, I'm just not used to this boarding school living." He looked at the others seriously, "you guys came here very young, but my parents hid that I was a Geltun for a very long time. Back in the human world, we have school in the morning then go home everyday," he shrugged his shoulders at their inquisitive scrunched up faces, "Its a lot of traveling and wasted time but its nice to see different places. I don't like feeling locked up, I gotta rebel once in a while."

"Where would you even want to go, there are humans everywhere." Yoshi still appeared disgruntled.

"Humans aren't all bad Yoshida," he put a hand up to stop the influx of protests as the girl opened her mouth reactively, "they may have done you wrong but I still would like to go see my parents in the holidays."

Sedata and Yoshi glanced at each other wordlessly. They already knew this was probably a desire that wouldn't come to fruition. The exchange was not lost on Sanji, but he, like Nabiko, did not understand the particulars of their new homing existence. Yoshi tugged at the grass by her feet, brooding in the solemn atmosphere. "One day I'll get my revenge on all of them."

Nabiko nudged Yoshi's hand with the tip of his shoe and she looked up at him. He had an uncharacteristically concerned look on his face. Yoshi reacted like she'd been caught stealing, "oh no no I was just joking," she forced a quick giggle, "im just surprised your parents would want you back."

"My parents want me back too." Sedata interrupted them with an over confidence that indicated untruth. But at the very least it broke the stifled atmosphere and forced them out of their slightly darker exchange. The two friends looked at her and offered fake small smiles.

"Yes of course..."

"What about you Sanji?" She did not give them a chance to object to her claims, spinning her head toward her seated partner. "Why did you come to our school so late, its another unusual case."

"..." Silence. There was really nothing for Sanji to say. He couldn't remember anything from his past. His first memories were waking up in a shared dorm, white ceiling fan spinning above him. And even on his very first morning there, Titan had entered the room and already wanted to fight him. It had been a huge scuffle, teachers had to become involved. Titan was restrained and didn't return to the dorm for a few nights. And that was it, Sanji went to class every day (almost) and accepted his life.

Seconds rolled by and he shook his head drowsily at his chatting acquaintances. No one had anything else to say on that matter.

"Well you're weird anyway." Except Sedata. She turned from Sanji brightly, smiling at Yoshi and Nabiko. "Well im going to see Ichiga in the infirmary. I'll see you guys in class."

"Byee," Yoshi and Nabiko nodded and waved her off. Standing, she brushed off her skirt and looked down at Sanji by her side.

"Bye friend."

"Uh...bye" Sanji was caught off guard. It pleased the girl enough. She nodded and picked her way from between the overgrown tree roots and headed off.

Nabiko yawned. Sanji wished he was alone again. Yoshi checked her watch. "We still have free time before lunch."

"Let's just ditch the rest of classes," Nabiko folded his arms and closed his eyes lying back. Yoshi gasped at him.

"Nooooo," she wailed quietly, "I'm the class rep Nabiko, I'll get into trouble."

"Na you won't, I promise."

Yoshi covered her face with both hands and shook her head "pleeeaasee..."

Nabiko opened his eyes with a raised brow. "Alright, I'll grant your request on one condition. Show me somewhere interesting around here. Like, where do the Migurigum live."

A look of puzzlement crossed Yoshi's face deeply and stayed in place. Even Sanji became mildly, mildly interested to hear the reply. "Nobody knows where they live. They must be somewhere around but," she paused, "maybe they're invisible or something."

"Do they atleast sleep?" They both were expecting answers from Yoshi as though she was an expert. It was very odd that even here where the Migurigum abided, little still was known about them. They had lived since the beginning of time in the perpetual state of youth and did not share their history, language or goals with anyone. Did they even know their purpose themselves?

"That's actually an interesting question Nabiko," the tiredness in her voice indicated she didn't know this answer either, "I've been here since I was eight and I still haven't met one."

The lack of answers didn't faze the inquisitor in the least. He was getting to his feet and dusting his pants already, "well let's go explore a little bit. There might be a dungeon or something right below us."

The look on Yoshi's face didn't seem convinced or rather pleased but she nodded anyway and turned to smile at Sanji. "Let's all go then... if you want to," she added in a quieter voice, but had already extended a hand whilst glancing away deviously.

Sanji allowed the touch on his sleeve to illicit his automatic compliant response, getting to his feet and awaiting a lead to follow. Yoshi made eye contact, smiled and turned to follow Nabiko. The three picked their way out of the tranquil scenery and onto paved land once more. Here Yoshi took the lead and Sanji fell into line of a third wheel.

Yoshi took the two boys around winding corridors around the school. It was clear that it hadn't always been a school or orphanage of any kind. But it had been adapted well, the home used paths were well worn in and personalised as all the students had grown up there and imprinted memories upon its walls. The other corridors has been left scarily blank and unadorned: unpainted grey walls, bleak stone ground and creaking massive doorways the only indication that cold beings inhabited here before the Geltun. The children were beginning to believe they may actually be dungeons and prisons.

When they found themselves on the far end of the compound, Nabiko realized where Yoshi was leading them. The tower was unnecessarily higher than the rest of the school and they couldn't completely fathom the reason. To spot humans on the horizon? But there were wards for that. Or probably the wards were positioned on high there for most effect. It was an unofficial rule that the towers were off limits.

Nabiko, Yoshi and Sanji stopped just a front the wooden doors leading to the first floor of the tower. "Its unlocked," a mild tone of surprise in her voice, Yoshi pointed out the ancient padlock on its outdated beam.

"Then that's a sign," Nabiko was already shoving the door open with an ounce of strength to allow the three entry. They entered the interior, fanning their hands a front their noses. It smelt a bit, filthy in there.

"I expected dust but not this," Yoshi said perplexed. Nabiko too wafted his hands a front his face, affronted but was walking forward non the less. It was bright enough through concrete windows to see the layout of the tower and the stairs. The steps spiralled around the inside walls of the spacious tower, wide enough to walk upon safely as it went upward.

Surprisingly, they seemed well cleared and the draconian railings were clean as well. "Maybe we've found the lair of the Migurigum after all."

"We've found the lair of something. Look-" Nabiko indicated fur on the floor of the top layer landing. Sanji, a few feet behind, stopped as he thought he heard scuttling noises coming from above. Nabiko and Yoshi were huddled close together looking at the fur on the ground. "But there aren't any animals here, we aren't allowed any."

Sanji closed his eyes and tried to listen for the sounds again. Nabiko and Yoshi were busy debating the fur on the ground. Sanji turned and walked toward the opposing landing wall and pressed an ear to it. There was definitely scuttling sounds coming from above. Truly and naturally, there were probably birds. More importantly, Sanji realized he had found a great new hiding spot so no one could disturb him from his sleeping again.

He walked to the roof's door and touched the wooden beam. Was it open? "..."

Yoshi and Nabiko continued to debate. "Maybe it's a troll," his voice serious, Yoshi's face worried, "a winged troll on the rooftops."

Yoshi scowled at him as he smirked. "You're so mean."

"There's only one way to find out for sure. Come on, let's head to the roof." Nabiko turned around to look for Sanji, "you comin.."

The sentence remained incomplete. Nabiko and Yoshi both turned around to find the other boy was no longer with them. Yoshi scrunched up her face immaculately. "Wait. Where did he go? "

"I have no bloody clue," deadpan but not so surprised. Nabiko and Yoshi looked at each other stumped. Finally, Nabiko gave in and shrugged, "there's only two ways he could have gone. Let's try the roof." Nabiko straightened up and moved away from the fur lined floor. He and Yoshi walked toward the large rooftop door, a similar horizontal lumber and padlock guarding the apex exit.

Nabiko, opened the lock. No, Nabiko tried to open the lock. "It's locked shut. New key too." The silver padlock was large and secured on the wooden beam, the door heavy and immovable.

"So I guess he left downstairs," Yoshi whispered.

"And, our adventure is over."

"Mm." They had nowhere to go but down, back to lunch time and the school below. Sanji, nowhere to be found.

SICO

"Huh?"

Konohimae remained coolly to the right of Sico who was rooted through his stuck sword. "I was a teacher of course. But i remain to be," he lifted his other arm at the elbow, "a Migurigum."

A ball of wind formed quickly at Konohimae's fingertips and he swung it toward Sico, blasting him across the room. Sico's arm flung back but he managed to keep the other on the sword hilt, dragging it with him. It helped him skid to a stop, the inertia made him stumble slightly. He knelt against the sword and exhaled slowly. This was... going to be harder than he thought. He clenched his jaw. Damn.

Konohimae casually swung his strewn hair back over his shoulder and turned to face Sico head on. "That sword is truly magnificent, but due to its size and weight, you're going to find it difficult to catch me. That and you don't know how to use the true power of the Renji sword."

"Oh yeah?" Sico didn't have anything else to say. He braced behind the sword in an offensive/ defensive position, his most hopeful stance against the enemy he could not read. His heart palpitated strongly but out of vengeance- he hoped- and not of slowly creeping fear.

"How about we have a fencing match, i would really like to test the sword's ability." Konohimae leveled out his hand and it blurred into an shadowy form of ebony, "too bad your slow brash moves will hamper it."

And to think Sico had thought them friends. "You know," he said, "you really are a demon."

"Old history."

"..." Sico crouched lower, ready to defend against anything Konohimae would deliver. But swiftly, as soon his arm could even fully transform into a shadowy claw, it was a mere blur as Konohimae himself blurred; a mirage of himself, disappearing the nano second and reappearing directly in front of Sico. So swift the movement. Sico gasped and looked up.

Slllll... a deadly downward slice layered with demonic Migurigum strength that drove Sico flying into the wall. CRASH!!! He fell onto his hands and knees. Konohimae was so strong. "Urgh," he felt a trickle of fresh blood down a narrow, stinging slash on his shoulder. Already bleeding, beaten and starting to doubt. He didn't have his sword anymore. His hands trembled. Was he going to lose after all?

"Get up Sico," said Konohimae. "This isn't going to much of a fencing match if you lie down there." His flickering shadow claw of an arm at one side, he glided the other still slender and human fingers up and down against Sico's sword hilt, admiring it, "and not at all if you won't hold onto your own weapon from a single strike."

Sico stepped up. No, he could do this. Just get one blow in and he was certain he could defeat Konohimae. Through narrowed eyes, he looked up. Konohimae stood up coolly, his eyes emotionless on Sico. "Come for your sword, Sico."

Sico walked forward slowly and Konohimae stepped back once. "I'm going easy on you."

"I don't need you to go easy on me."

Konohimae's brow twitched. "Really. You don't even know how to release Renji's true power."

"And what would you know of it???" Sico put his hand safely back onto the hilt.

"I may just show you in a little bit. Maybe after two more of your swings. Using that clumsy strength of yours."

"My clumsy strength," Sico angered, wrapping his hands tighter, "is all i need to kill you!"

He dove off again, sword sidewards and then closed around; a clean sweep. Konohimae easily dodged again but Sico followed through with a roundhouse kick. Spa, fence, whatever it took to win. The move proved futile however. Konohimae caught him by the very same leg and then lifted him up, one, two three; swinging him in circles and finally pitching him through the air.

Bracing, Sico cried out as his body collided with the roof structure. He winced yet more when he failed to cling onto the beams and landed in a crash. His body, his body was hurting badly now. Maybe he had broken some ribs, it certainly felt so.

He was facedown in a crumpled heap and as much as it hurt to get up, he had to. Had to move, had to win... to kill Konohimae. He wasn't the bad guy, why couldn't he win?

"Try again Sico."

"Ughh....." he pushed up bearing the pain... and by the jagged swollen look of his knuckles, it was obvious that they were broken.

He got to his feet and his former teacher stepped back again. Sico walked to his sword and grasped its hilt all the more sturdy once again. He had to do it, he was becoming weary and bruises racked his body. Father would want him to kill the traitors... his dying desires. He could do it, he could be a hero. This lying being and too fond relic of his faded past, had to pay.

But... One more move. Konohimae had told him two attacks before he would fight back and slay Sico with his very sword. It had to work.

Sico hitched his sword on his waist side, backwards. He, he was going to exert himself thoroughly. Hitch-

"Hyahhhhhh!!!!" Forward, blazing he swung the sword and then moved with it in circles, streaking toward Konohimae. Konohimae teleported upwards and it was Sico's move. He followed suit, jumping up and it was a relished whirring blade attack, just one hit and the Unbreakable Sword could do its damage.

So fast, the sword was invisible. But, Konohimae... Damn the Migurigum... He'd phased translucently down through the blades and landed on lithe toetips. No! One more!!! Sico brought the blade down in a finishing swipe, down from the air and onto Konohimae.

Konohimae's figure thinned right out again and completely vanished. CRASH! Turbulence as the sword sliced through the floor. Sico gasped and glanced to the side as Konohimae reformed and lifted a knee into his stomach.

No! Sico's bright eyes dulled and blood sparkled from his mouth. He'd lost... He could never save anyone. Konohimae didn't allow him to crumple at once, grabbing his falling head by the hair and then pounding him with the back of his other claw. Sico coughed and sputtered. Konohimae flipped his claws around and sliced down through Sico's shoulder.

"Ahhhh!!!" Konohimae lifted his claws again in a flash and slashed across. Zip! "AhHh!" a wide wound across his chest and then zip zip zip zip zip! Multiple flashes that Sico's frightened eyes couldn't follow. There was no mercy being shown between the former teacher and his juvenile young acquaintance.

It stopped, and the stinging sensations were all over his body and he cried out longer and louder as short cuts of blood burst open all over.

Thud. A front kick. Sico rolled across the ground, huffing and wincing, eyes squeezed tightly. The bright burning pain! He closed his eyes tighter and held his body, arms wrapped around but the pain wouldn't go away. His pain that was rivaling the emotional devastation at the image of him joining his family's grave site.

Father...

"I do not hate you Sico. I have no feelings toward you." His voice was soft but held no compassion as Sico coughed blood on the floor.

"But," Konohimae ignored him and flicked his clawed arm, sending off excessive blood away from himself. "It has presently crossed my mind that I as a non Renji cannot wield your blade."

Sico couldn't tell if he saw Konohimae lips tip down or not but his eyes were still and calculating. Sico blinked looking through the blood and wondering what would happen next. He breathed in sharply and grimaced. His head nudged up to look at Konohimae approach him whilst the blood blurred his vision further.

"I only wish to witness it once. To see what is this object that we had been waiting for centuries to fear. No doubt you will not be able to do damage in your current state."

He was right. Sico allowed his chin to drop and tears began to brim in his eyes. He had no one left in the world, and his teacher: though only one left, was the one that was going to kill him. Sico could sense Konohimae felt nothing toward him as they fought. Nothing for all the years they'd shared.

He wanted someone, he wanted his father back. Why did he leave him with a strange heirloom and nothing to guide him with? Had his father entrusted Konohimae to do so when they time was right and been betrayed?

"Father..." the tears flowed freely now. Vengeance? Hate? He was just a jolly boy. "Someone help me..."

!!!! The golden Renji blade suddenly exploded into light and Konohimae stepped back. Sico opened his eyes amidst sobs and started to get to his feet. Weak but... But he made it. Faintly. He swayed to the sword and held onto it. One more time.

Konohimae backed up defensively, calmly. Sico lifted the sword and in a climax of anger or sorrow, he thrust it down with all the power he had.

The sword wasn't to touch his enemy at all, instead, the lines of light that it sent off was a furious attack of power.

Konohimae put up a hand stoically and a black shadowy force field appeared before him to shield the front of his body as the lobby blasted all around. The entire house slowly filled up with the light, bathed in it and then smashed.

Konohimae couldn't escape the winds and blasts of the power. It washed over and around his force field, painting him beautifully.

"So..." his hair buffered in the twinkling golden light, face placid, "this is the true power of the Renji heirloom. Meant to destroy us."

Light exploded and Sico himself fell back. Sizzling mist, smoke, then everything quietened. Konohimae was nowhere to be seen. The splintered walls held already reminiscent markings of the fight and the sounds of nature outside poured in, natural lighting coming through the giant holes in the roof.

Sico sat there in the middle of the eery desolate room. He swayed for a while and then collapsed onto his face, lying and breathing haggardly.

Konohimae.

Gone.

He closed his eyes and exhaled.